The present invention relates to portable p.c. work stations and more particularly to a p.c. station having support elements easily broken apart for easy transport say first by motor vehicle and then by human carriage from the former to a location where the user utilizes a conventional laptop p.c. in association with a printer, paper tray and optical recording device such as a digital camera with CD ROM recording capabilities.
Insurance adjusters travel from location to location to view damaged motor vehicles, carrying a laptop computer, digital camera and printer. Experience has shown that a set-up position that utilizes such peripherals is often difficult in a repair shop or usual environments encountered in the field.
The present invention relates to a portable laptop computer work station comprising a first work space that includes a planar table of rectangular cross section having an upper surface for receiving the laptop computer, such upper surface terminating in a lip along one of the long sides of the table, and a lower surface fitted a Tee-shaped receiver having a pair of longitudinal legs parallel to the lip at the upper surface and a transverse leg normal to the lip.
Into one of the pair of longitudinal legs of the Tee-shaped receiver, a second work space is provided consisting of a first extension planar base of rectangular cross section disconnectably attached via a support header of rectangular cross section that extends beyond one of the short sides of the extension planar base. The upper surface of the extension planar base also terminates in a lip that is parallel to the lip of the planar table of the first work space. The purpose of the first extension planar base comprising the second work space: to provide a surface for supporting computer peripherals including a mouse.
Into the other of the pair of longitudinal legs of the Tee-shaped receiver, a Zee-shaped extension arm of rectangular cross section is attached via one end of such arm and has an opposite end that forms a third work space. That is, such opposite end of the Zee-shaped extension arm is fitted with ball-in-socket fastener for securing an optical recording device, e.g., a digital camera.
Into the transverse leg of the Tee-shaped receiver, a U-shaped extender is disconnectably attached, such extender having a near end slidabley connected to the transverse leg of the Tee-shaped receiver, and a distal end in contact with the undersurface of a second planar base that forms a fourth work space. Such second planar base has an upper surface terminating in a lip along one of the long sides for the purpose of supporting a printer or similar device.
Cantilevering from the U-shaped extender of the fourth work space is a paper tray of rectangular cross section having an upper surface terminating in a lip along one of the long sides and a lower surface fitted with a lot that slidably attaches about the mid-region of the U-shaped extender and a rod assembly including a L-shaped support having a first arm permanently attached to the lower surface of the third planar base and a second arm carrying an opening of circular cross section through which a rod of circular cross section, extends. The distal end of the rod is provided with a conically shaped stop forward thereof, such distal end also extending into and through an opening in the middle of the U-shaped extender for support purposes. Purpose of the planar paper tray: to provide a receiving area for printed pages from the printer.
Support for the entire work station is provided by a conventional camera tripod that includes an attaching pad that disconnectably attaches via a threaded opening in the Tee-shaped receiver of the table. Such camera tripod includes universal positioning linkage that permits the correct positioning of the laptop computer, the mouse, the speakers, the optical recording device, the printer and the printed page receiver relative to the earth""s surface. That is, the positioning linkage is manipulated to cant the table carrying laptop (forming the first work space) and first planar base carrying the mouse and speakers relative to earth""s surface (and forming the second work space) at a correct interaction position for the user""s hands so that the user can use both instruments from a seated or standing position as well as:
positions the Zee-shaped extension arm carrying the optical recording device (forming the third work space) and the second base supporting the printer (and forming the fourth work space) in positions that are parallel to the earth""s surface, and
positions the planar paper tray at a cant opposite to that of the laptop to receive the printed pages of the printer.